437
gun deaths in Minnesota, including
44
children and teens
(ages 0-19)
15%
Homicides comprised 15% of gun deaths
81%
Suicides comprised the majority of gun deaths
93%
of gun death victims were male
8th
lowest gun death rate in the country in 2018

GUN DEATHS BY INTENT, 2018

More than 400 Minnesotans died by gun violence in 2018, an average of one person every day. Suicides were 81% of the gun deaths and homicides were 15%.

Number of deaths

TRENDS OVER TIME

Over the last 10 years (2009-2018), the overall gun death rate in Minnesota increased 26%. Increases in both homicide and suicide rates contributed to the overall change over the course of the decade; in that time period, the firearm homicide rate increased 48% and the firearm suicide rate increased 22%.

Age-adjusted rate per 100,000

Total gun death rate
Firearm homicide rate
Firearm suicide rate

County Variations

Age-adjusted gun death rate per 100,000

  • 4.43 to 6.83
  • 6.84 to 9.24
  • 9.25 to 11.65
  • 11.66 to 13.88
  • Suppressed /
    Unreliable

Among the counties in Minnesota, Otter Tail County had the highest gun death rate, followed by Itasca County and Cass County.

Conversely, Rice County had the lowest gun death rate, followed by Washington County and Clay County.

Notes:

  • The CDC suppresses data in which fewer than 10 deaths are reported in a given time frame and considers firearm death rates based on fewer than 20 deaths “statistically unreliable.” Counties that meet this criteria are labeled “Suppressed/Unreliable.”
  • Based on a ten-year average (2009-2018).

FIREARM HOMICIDES

66
firearm homicides in 2018, including
16
children and teens
3rd
lowest firearm homicide rate in the U.S.

Gun Deaths by Intent

15% of gun deaths were homicides in 2018.

Homicide by Method

More than half of homicides were committed with firearms in 2018.

Demographics

In Minnesota, 78% of firearm homicide victims are male and Black males are disproportionately impacted. Black males aged 15-34 have a firearm homicide rate more than 25 times higher than White (non Latino) males of the same age group.

Note: Based on a five-year average (2014-2018).

FIREARM SUICIDES

356
firearm suicides in 2018, including
25
children and teens
11th
lowest firearm suicide rate in the U.S.

Gun Deaths by Intent

The majority of gun deaths were suicides in 2018.

Suicide by Method

Nearly half of all suicides were by firearm in 2018.

Demographics

White (non Latino) males ages 75+ are at highest risk for firearm suicide.

Note: Based on a five-year average (2014-2018).

RESOURCES

Additional Information

Notes

  • All rates listed are age-adjusted in order to allow for accurate comparisons between populations with different age distributions.
  • All data is from 2018, the most recent year of data available, unless otherwise indicated.
  • Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. WONDER Online Database, 1999-2018. Available: http://wonder.cdc.gov/ucd-icd10.html.

Last updated September 2020